Bergama Hotel

There are clusters of budget places in the Sultanahmet district of the old city; Akbiyik Caddesi in Cankurtaran is the backpacker hub, other streets nearby are more low key. The heart of modern Istanbul, Taksim Square and Beyoglu, are also good places to stay, with lots of restaurants, theatres and shops nearby. If you want to spend a bit more, head for the luxury hotels of Harbiye and along the Bosphorus. Most cafes are clustered in Beyoglu, but many are dotted in the suburbs on both sides of the Bosphorus and in other well-heeled suburbs. Kumkapi and Çiçek Pasaji, and Nevizade Sokak in Beyoglu are home to clusters of meyhanes (taverns).